Forum Discussion

Explorer

Jul 18, 2016

AC (alt current) Waveforms and THD for gens and inverter

Have you ever been curious what your generator or inverter waveform looks like? I have and the question has been asked on this forum several times. I have a new to me, recently calibrated Fluke 41B power analyzer. I will be testing various sources and posting them here. The first picture will be my test setup. Following that will be wave form of utility power mainly for reference. Others will follow as time permits. Recently add at bottom of page: Onan 5500
Test Setup:

Utility Waveform/THD/Text:

More to follow.

25 Replies

CJW8
Explorer
Jul 19, 2016
smkettner, the load was 600 watt resistive heater. The numbers didn't change much with or without the resistive load.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 18, 2016
Several years ago (Well more than 2) the American Radio Relay League Inc published an article on just this in QST. You need membership or a subscribing library to read the article.

It showed several differnet generators including some nice inverter jobs (Nice clean sine waves) some "Contractor" MOdels (Scary) some reduced (1200 or 1800 RPM engine models (Nice)

They also did inverters (MSW v/s TSW and assorted models there too)

Interesting to look at the 'scope traces.
time2roll
Nomad
Jul 18, 2016
What is load on the Prowatt? Space heater, microwave, air conditioner?

What a great little tool :)
CJW8
Explorer
Jul 18, 2016
Next up is a Xantrex ProWatt SW2000
Wave:

THD:

Text

This is a very good waveform and low THD!
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jul 18, 2016
Kudos!